Handley Page Halifax Mk.V RCAF 434 Squadron circa 1943-44

No. 434 (Bluenose) Squadron RCAF
Motto: "In excelsis vincimus" ("We conquer in the heights").
Badge: A representation of the schooner "Bluenose". The squadron was adopted by the Rotary Club of Halifax, NS, and took the nickname "Bluenose" in reference to the common nickname for Nova Scotians. The badge depicts its namesake, the famous schooner Bluenose - one the fastest and most graceful ships ever to sail the seas.
Authority: King George VI, October 1945.
No 434 Squadron was formed at Tholthorpe, Yorkshire, on 13 June 1943, as a unit of No. 6 (RCAF) Group of Bomber Command. It began operations on 12/13th August and continued to operate from Tholthorpe until December 1944, when moved to Croft. There it remained based for the rest of its stay in England. Equipped first with Halifax Vs, No. 434 converted to Halifax IIIs in May 1944, and to Lancaster Xs December 1944. During its tour with No. 6 Group the squadron flew 2,597 operational sorties on 199 operations.

Bomber Command WWII Bases:
Formed 13.6.43 as No. 434 (Bomber) Squadron

Tholthorpe, Yorks : Jun 1943-Dec 1943
Croft, Co. Durham : Dec 1943 onwards

Bomber Command WWII Aircraft: Handley Page Halifax B.III, B.V : Jun 1943-Dec 1944, Avro Lancaster B.I, B.X : Dec 1944 onwards, Code Letters: "WL"

The Handley Page Halifax was one of the British front-line, four-engine heavy bombers of the Royal Air Force during the Second World War. A contemporary of the famous Avro Lancaster, the Halifax remained in service until the end of the war, performing a variety of duties in addition to bombing. The Halifax was also operated by squadrons of the Royal Australian Air Force, Royal Canadian Air Force, Royal New Zealand Air Force and Polish Air Force.

Introduction of 1,390 hp Merlin XX engines and a twin .303-in dorsal turret instead of waist guns resulted in the B Mk II Series I Halifax. The Mk II Series I (Special) achieved improved performance by removing the nose and dorsal turrets. The Mk II Series IA had a moulded Perspex nose (the standard for future Halifax variants), a four-gun Defiant-type dorsal turret, Merlin 22 engines and larger vertical tail surfaces which solved control deficiencies (rudder-stall) in the early Marks. Halifax IIs were built by English Electric and Handley Page; 200 and 100 aircraft respectively.

Due to a shortage in Messier-built landing gear and hydraulics Dowty landing gear were used. Being incompatible with the Messier equipment these gave Halifaxes with new designations. A Mark II built with Dowty gear was the Mark V. The use of castings rather than forgings in the Dowty undercarriage speeded production but resulted in a reduced landing weight of 40,000 lb. The Mark V were built by Rootes at Speke and Fairey at Stockport and were generally used by Coastal Command and for training. Some 904 were built by the time Mark V production ended at the start of 1944,[2] compared to 1,966 Mk II.

The most numerous Halifax variant was the B Mk III of which 2,091 were built. First appearing in 1943, the Mk III featured the Perspex nose and modified tail of the Mk II Series IA but replaced the Merlin with the more powerful 1,650 hp Bristol Hercules XVI radial engine. Other changes included de Havilland Hydromatic propellers and rounded wing tips. The Mk IV was a non-production design using a turbocharged Hercules powerplant.

The definitive version of the Halifax was the B Mk VI, powered by the 1,800 hp Hercules 100. The final bomber version, the Mk VII, reverted to the less powerful Hercules XVI. However, these variants were produced in relatively small quantities.

The remaining variants were the C Mk VIII unarmed transport (8,000 lb cargo pannier instead of a bomb bay, space for 11 passengers) and the Mk A IX paratroop transport (space for 16 paratroopers and gear). A transport/cargo version of the Halifax was also produced, known as the Handley Page Halton.

Total Halifax production was 6,176 with the last aircraft delivered in November 1946.
In service with RAF Bomber Command, Halifaxes flew 82,773 operations, dropped 224,207 tons of bombs and lost 1,833 aircraft. In addition to bombing missions, the Halifax served as a glider tug, electronic warfare aircraft for No. 100 Group RAF and special operations such as parachuting agents and arms into occupied Europe. Halifaxes were also operated by RAF Coastal Command for anti submarine warfare, reconnaissance and meteorological roles.

Postwar, Halifaxes remained in service with the RAF Coastal Command and RAF Transport Command and the Armée de l'Air until early 1952.

Category:

Education

Tags:

• colour
• color
• ww2
• wwii

[awshucks]

In Memoriam, Halifax V LK648.

Co-Pilot F/Sgt John W. Hallas RAAF

Air Gnr. F/Sgt Robert N. Wallace.

Bombardier P/O David J. Sinclair

Pilot F/L Frederick C. Lord

Flt. Engr. Sgt Stanley A. Walter RAF

Navigator F/O Benjamin S. Jones

W/Op Sgt Basil M. O’Hara

Air Gnr. Jean G. de Sieyes

[lumbago12]

@MrBNaylor That would be wonderful. To me, East Yorks is something of a forgotten area when it comes to Bomber Command, and with nothing but gratitude to those who flew out of Lincs and Norfolk, it is always nice to see my home area acknowledged (eg, Leconfield, Holme on Spalding Moor, Driffield, etc). Brave, brave lads.

[MrBNaylor]

@lumbago12 Yes, it's a beautiful one for 158 Squadron. I hope to make there it some day. My other great Uncle served as a pilot for this squadron, completed 35 sorties and received the D.F.C. I have a detailed acount about one of his sorties, i hope to put it to video at some point.

[lumbago12]

@MrBNaylor There is a wonderful aircrew sculpture at Lissett. Google image if you can't get there.

[ObltKG4]

Beautiful video. Thanks for posting 

[ijolite]

@fredquimbythe23rd I see your point but am struck by the Spitfire-like tailwheel, lower fuselage and fin.  Bomber Defence Training Flights used Spits etc(eg 1695 BDTF RCAF) but no Mustangs (Flintham: ‘Combat codes’). Merrick: ‘Handley Page Halifax’ says 434 Sqn started with B Mk V in June 43 and converted to B Mk III from May 44. He shows a Mk V with these small fins, but wrong nose and mid-upper turret. The development history is complex with endless labelled variants.

[fredquimbythe23rd]

I think the fighter is the early model North American (Alison engined) P51Mustang. It clearly has the faired cockpit of the early Mustang; which was designed specifically for the RAF. Subsequently the USAAF's superb P51D was developed from this aircraft after Packhard built Rolls Royce Merlins became readily available The Halifax is not the Merlin engined Mk V, but is an earlier Mk II. It also clearly has the early triangular tailfins, as opposed to the Mk V which had large oblong tailfins.

[ijolite]

Nice film. Is 434 Sqn on fighter affiliation training (eg Google: 97 Squadron fighter affiliation. See 13.1.44) with a Spitfire(0:10), and are those corkscrews?

A WL-X (0:30) was among the 5 aircraft of the squadron lost on the Berlin raid of 28/29 Jan 1944, a grim night when both flight commanders were lost. But at least one other WL-X is listed. (see Ward: 6 Group Bomber Command, 2009 and web sources, which together show this is not P/O McKeown’s aircraft. See pictor100, below).

[searcher428]

Excellent Video of the MK-V Halifax - My father piloted a MK-V coded DK-270 NA-U for 428 Squadron ( Ghost Squadron ). Glad we have a reminder of this great war horse aircraft, shame only a couple survive.

Thanks

[DavisCampbell]

somewhere over Europe in 1943-45